Changes are Here!

There are a few big changes for our family this week!  Justin started a new job today at the Florida Department of Transportation in a licensed surveyor position!  Although he interviewed for the job almost a month ago, we hadn’t heard anything until two weeks ago when they called and offered him the position.  Over the past year, he has interviewed with several companies, including DOT, and for one reason or another, they never worked out.  God’s timing is perfect and this is a great opportunity just when it is needed most! 

I can’t begin to express how proud I am of Justin.  He has worked so hard and made so many sacrifices for our family. Although this past year has been extremely hard, both financially and emotionally, I wouldn’t trade that experience because it has helped Justin and I grow in our relationship. 

There have been so many times I have thought back and started to second guess our decisions like being without pay for three months during my maternity leave, but Justin has always been there to tell me he fully supported that decision and not to regret it.  Things could always be worse, but I’m looking at our future as a time to rebuild and renew.  It’s going to be hard working full time and still being the mother and wife I want to be, but through all of this I have learned that we might bend, but we won’t break!

Because of Justin’s new job, Tuesday will be Mason’s first full day at daycare (he was sent home early yesterday with pink eye).  I am nervous about how he will react but I know we will all survive, even if he hates it.  This week he has started to cry when I leave for work in the mornings and frantically crawls over to me to pick him up.  It breaks my heart when he does that, so I’m trying to prepare myself for this reaction when I start dropping him off.   Big sister Kate will also be going back to school full time so it gives me a little comfort to know she will be with Mason – although I’ll be surprised if she pays him much attention.

There are several things I will miss about the past year like having the house cleaned and dinner cooked while I am at work, and Kate going over to Nanny’s house for their weekly play dates, but there are also great things to look forward to now that we will be a steady two-income family (which hasn't happened for almost 3 years). 

Please keep us in your prayers! 

Mrs. Rachel's Wedding

Last Saturday night, we were invited to Rachel (Minor) Malet's wedding.  Rachel has been such a wonderful friend to Jordan and I over the years and I really cherish her friendship.  Although she lived in France for both of my pregnancies, every time she has come back home for a visit she always makes a point of squeezing me in her busy schedule.  She always joked around each time she came back for a visit, I had another baby.  Earlier this year, she moved back to the USA with her husband Stefane (whom she met in France) and they had another wedding here for all her friends and family that couldn't attend their first wedding overseas.

It was a beautiful night and despite it being August, the weather was bearable.  Rachel looked gorgeous and Kate was so excited to be able to see Ms. Rachel in her "princess dress".  Since the wedding was outside, I knew Mason would be hot and tired so Mimi graciously agreed to watch him for us. 

Mrs. Rachel, Kate and I

Stefane, Rachel, Aunt Katie and Uncle Jordan

 Aaron and Meredith Sullivan, Rachel, Jordan, and Jeremy McCullough (all close friends since growing up together at church)

Kate and Daddy dancing.

Congrats Rachel and Stefane!  We are so happy for you both!

Happy Birthday Dad!

After our trip to Naples, we celebrated my dad's birthday a few nights later.  I always love getting together with family and this night was no exception! 

 Lighting the birthday candles.

 Singing Happy Birthday - I love both of their expressions.

Camden was helping celebrate too! 

And so were his parents, but I somehow I didn't get a picture of them - sorry guys!

Happy Birthday Dad!  We hope you had a great one!

Our Recent Naples Trip

This past weekend, we took a trip to Naples to attend Nene's Memorial Service.  Although we wish the circumstances were better, we had a great time visiting with all the family.

We left Friday morning at 7:15 and arrived in Naples around 2.  The kids did great in the car.  We knew Kate would because she loves to watch movies the entire way, but we weren't sure how Mason was going to do.  The last time we went to Naples, he was much younger and slept most of the way.  This time, Justin and I traded off driving and squeezing in the back seat between two car seats to help entertain Mason when he wasn't napping.

When we got to Naples, we ran by the hotel and dropped off our luggage and then headed out to Pa's house for a family cookout.  Mason burst into tears at all the new faces, but he warmed up after a little bit.  Daddy and Kate did a little bit of fishing and it was good to visit with everyone and catch up.

 Sleepy girl.

Erin and Mason.

 Kate, Zack, Daddy and Ryan fishing.

Mason and John.

Saturday morning was Nene's Memorial Service.  This memorial service was unlike any other that I have attended.  At the end of the service, Daddy's cousin John was baptized!  So at Papa's request, we made sure to bring our camera so we could capture this joyous occasion.  We know Nene was rejoicing with the angels that morning - she would have loved to be there.

And a picture from my view in the audience:

After the service, we all enjoyed a fellowship meal together and spent some time with friends and extended family that attended the service.  After lunch, I ran around and took a few more pictures before we left.

 Cousin Erica and her little boy Zack.

 Cousin Emmalee and Kate.

 All the great-grandchildren: Kate, Emmalee, Erin, Mason, Ryan and Zack

I asked the three older kids to each grab a younger one and miraculously I got a great picture without much effort!

This was the other important picture to me that I am so glad I got - four generations of Evers men.

Kate and the church fountain - she loves making a wish!

After the service, daddy went out to Pa's that afternoon to spend some time with him and John and I took the kids to the hotel for naps.  Saturday evening Aunt Linda treated us to a BBQ dinner at her house.  After dinner, everyone was so tired from the day's events that we all went to bed early.  Sunday morning we attended church and that afternoon, Daddy went out to Pa's again while the kids napped at the hotel.  Sunday evening, we all met at the beach to take some family pictures.  Unfortunately, Justin and I didn't realize the drastic temperature change between our air conditioned car and the humidity at the beach and our camera fogged up completely.  We were afraid it was ruined and our family pictures were over before they began, but fortunately Melanie brought her camera and Aunt Linda used her phone.  Whew.  I hope there will be great pictures to share sometime soon. :)

We left Monday morning around 9 and got back home at 4 in the afternoon.  It seemed like a long trip home, but I'm thankful we made it home safely! We had a great visit but it's always good to be home! 

Crazy Kids

Here are a couple more pictures I posted of the kids on Facebook that I wanted to share on the blog too. 

A couple weeks ago, Eric & Harriet Sespico (a sweet family at our church) offered to watch the kids so Justin and I could have a date night. We met the Mundies for dinner at the new Texas Roadhouse restaurant and had a fantastic meal with wonderful friends, but I don't know who had the better time that night - us or the kids. On the way home from picking up the kids, Kate asked me "Mommy, please open the door". I asked her why (since we were driving down Miccosukee Road) and she said "Because I want to go back to Mrs. Harriet's".  When I told her we would have to go another time, she started chanting "Take me back!" "Take me back!" all the way home (which thankfully was only a two minute car ride). I'm glad to know she had such a good time!

Mrs. Harriet gave Kate a princess crown and it has been one of her prized possessions.  We wouldn't let her sleep with the crown on, but that Sunday afternoon when I went to peek at Kate, this is what I saw:

So precious.  She is a princess at heart.

Later that night, I noticed Mason had crawled off and was being too quiet. I found him busy in the bathroom pulling down the toilet paper and eating it. I should have known...

                

                           

Four Teeth & Pulling Up

This past week, Mason has mastered the skill of pulling up. For a few days, he would pull himself up but couldn't figure out how to get back down so he would burst into tears. It was pitiful and humorous at the same time. One night at bedtime, daddy threatened to duck tape him down to the crib (kidding of coarse) because he stood up and cried over and over, causing us to repeatedly go in & lay him back down, until he finally fell asleep. Silly boy. 

He has also started crying again at nap time and at bed time. We put him in his crib and he immediately jumps up and cries as we walk out of the room. Maybe this phase will pass soon...

 Mason has also gotten his two top front teeth in - I'm sad that his gummy smile is going away. I managed to get a couple pictures of my wiggle worm's two new teeth. 

 Justin and I are thankful we didn't replace our living room furniture from Target with anything pricey because Mase loves to use his new teeth to knaw on everything - the tv stand, end tables, and his crib. I would like this phase to pass quickly too!

 Noooooo!